When Carolyn Plaisted's husband George received the news he had bowel cancer, the couple had some tough decisions to make.

Would they move to Melbourne for six months for Mr Plaisted to receive chemotherapy?

Would they drive to Rockhampton every week from their home in Jericho?

Would they use public transport?

When the Jericho airstrip was recently sealed, the decision was made for them.

They would fly.

"It's an absolute godsend," Mrs Plaisted says of the airstrip.

"It means that we can go down to Rocky and back in the one day with Angel Flight which is a huge thing.

"He normally needs to have a rest after his treatment, and it only takes an hour and a half roughly each way, which means by the time he comes home he can have his rest and he hasn't got the additionally stress.

"To have this strip sealed has just made life so much easier for us".

Upgrading the airstrip and fencing cost $750,000 and was paid for by Barcaldine Shire Council.

Council's executive manager for the Alpha region Rob Bauer says the strip will mostly be used for emergency purposes.

"People can land in any weather now, but before they wouldn't have been able to," he says.

Mr Bauer says the newly sealed airstrip will be a vital resource for emergency services like the Royal Flying Doctor Service.